RF Module LNA Inductor Sharing for Smaller IC Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing technology of using metal wire inductors in integrated circuits for low-noise amplifiers results in increased size due to the need for larger spaces, and the inductor's characteristics significantly affect the amplifier's performance, requiring a low-loss inductor solution.
Innovation Solution
A radio-frequency module with an integrated circuit (IC) device and an external inductor, where the IC includes low-noise amplifiers with inductors coupled to the amplifier transistors, and a switching circuit connects the transistors' sources or emitters to an external inductor, which is coupled between the switching circuit and ground, reducing the size and enhancing the amplifier's characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal wire inductors are used in integrated circuits for low-noise amplifiers, then the amplifier characteristics are improved, but the size of the integrated circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inductor is divided into two parts: an internal inductor formed within the integrated circuit and an external inductor provided outside the IC device. This segmentation allows the internal inductor to be compact while the external inductor provides the necessary inductance value, thereby reducing the overall IC size while maintaining amplifier performance
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves part of the inductor structure from the two-dimensional plane of the integrated circuit to the external three-dimensional space. By placing the external inductor outside the IC device and coupling it through a switching circuit, the design utilizes external space to reduce the area requirement within the IC footprint
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple low-noise amplifiers are integrated together, then the functionality is improved, but the size of the integrated circuit further increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external inductor is designed to be shared among multiple low-noise amplifiers through the switching circuit. Instead of providing separate inductors for each amplifier, the same external inductor can be selectively coupled to different amplifiers, enabling one component to serve multiple functions and reducing the total component count and area
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple amplifier circuits are integrated on a single IC device with shared resources. The internal inductors and switching circuits are merged into a unified structure where the external inductor serves as a common resource for multiple amplifiers, reducing redundancy and minimizing the overall circuit area
3Reliability
If a low-loss inductor is used to improve amplifier characteristics, then the amplifier performance is improved, but the complexity of the module increases
Solution Approach 1:
A switching circuit is introduced as an intermediary component to couple the internal and external inductors. This switching circuit acts as a mediator that enables the external inductor to be selectively connected to different amplifiers, managing the complexity through controlled connectivity rather than requiring complex integrated inductor structures
Data Source
AI summary
A radio-frequency module includes an integrated circuit (IC) device and an external inductor provided outside the IC device. The IC device includes a plurality of low-noise amplifiers, one or more inductors, and a switching circuit. The plurality of low-noise amplifiers includes a plurality of transistors in one to one correspondence. The one or more inductors are coupled to one or more of the plurality of transistors. Each inductor is coupled to the emitter or source of a corresponding one of the plurality of transistors. The switching circuit is coupled between the emitter or source of each of the plurality of transistors and the external inductor. The external inductor is coupled between the switching circuit and ground in series with each of the one or more inductors via the switching circuit.